Liz Gossens, a fashion designer based on D.C., is a master of actor wearing a low budget. She recently used a thrift store discovery and punk-style creativity in just two weeks to organize the costumes for the “Lizzie” (a Victorian rock opera that smashed the corset). Therefore, she just asked people who made their own DIY Halloween costumes.
Remove clothing from the Halloween store. “Don’t spend a lot of money on a few fragile fabrics in the bag,” she said. “They are never worth it.”
Go frugal. “I never thought I could find what I wanted. I was looking for clothes that could become what I wanted,” she said. “And I am looking for something a bit bigger because it’s easier to size than rising.”
Cover your discovery. If you find a piece of clothing that you like, but its color is wrong, you can cover it with your favorite fabric. “You can sew it and even use a glue gun,” Gossens said. This works better with simple shapes such as skirts and vests. “I don’t recommend trying to cover my pants,” she said.
Add a trim. “You can do a lot with ribbons and even use CVS wrappers,” Gossens said.
View accessories online. “Amazon is your friend,” she said, wearing hats, wigs, gloves and glamorous things. For a cheap gorgeous bodice, check out one of Gossens’ favorite websites, corset-story.com.
Avoid large cardboard clothing. “They looked cute at first, but then you were stuck in a box all night,” Gossens warned.
Run first. “You don’t want to find yourself at 10 pm. Going to a party on Halloween, you don’t have the floor you need,” she said.
Case Study: How to turn a men’s suit jacket into a circus hair
What you need: suit jacket, scissors, sewing machine or needlework, bow; optional: top hat, corset.
Cut a rounded corner from the lower right part of the front of the jacket. Avoid cutting the pocket cover and not near the button.
Use the fabric you cut and use chalk to draw a precise pattern on the bottom left of the front of the jacket to match the sides.
To stitch the seams, you need to turn the jacket over so that the seams won’t show up. A 4 inch incision was made in the lining near one of the pockets, the cut edge of the side was pulled through the incision, and the seam was then stitched. When finished, push it out of the slit. Repeat from the other side, starting with a new incision.
Add a bow on the back to achieve the finishing touch. You can sew it or use a safety pin. Iron the jacket, add a top hat, and apply it on a colorful bodice
